Myanmar: The Burmese Translation Effort

Myanmar (formerly known as Burma) was a former British colony that played a major role in World War II in the Southeast Asia region. In 1948 it won its independence from Britain, and from 1962 to 2011 was under military rulers, eventually embracing democracy in 2011.

The Message of the Hour first entered the country of Myanmar in 1995. Missionaries carried the Message into the country, baptizing new converts to Christ in this predominantly Buddhist country. During the late 1990s a few small churches were established in the largest city, Yangon. In 1996, translation work started under the leadership of Brother Muana and Brother Biaka. Since then a small group of believers has worked tirelessly to translate the Message of the Hour into their native Burmese language. The focus of these translations has been to print books and materials that they finish on site. While the finishing has been of low quality, the Message was getting into the hands of the people.

To-date they have over 300 messages translated and available in book form in their library. These translations are now being reformatted for upload to the Message Hub with the support of Bible Believers. Translators continue to translate new messages in hand-written form, which can subsequently be input into the computer for upload and printing.

Brother Muana oversees the continuing work with two full-time and two part-time translators. Recently, through contributions of Believers around the world, the Myanmar Saints have been able to purchase new computer equipment to aid in their translation work.

Translation room with new Message Hub printer

Myanmar, like many developing countries, is sorely lacking in basic infrastructure. In spite of this, a cellular network is expanding across the nation. Most of the young generation have a phone in their hands, just like in North America. This reality has led Brother Muana and his co-workers to begin the work of electronically uploading their translations to the Message Hub. With the Message Hub Mobile application, the young people can have all the translations on their phones, and feed on the Message of the Hour easily. (Bible Believers funded a cell phone for the team for the purpose of providing Internet access for their computer systems so that they may be able to upload to the Message Hub.)

L-R: Bro Peter (Interpreter), Bro Schuler, Bro Price, & Bro Muana

In April 2017, Brother Mike Price (Pastor in Hardy, Arkansas) and Brother Andy Schuler (a minister from Tucson, Arizona) visited Myanmar to assist with the translation efforts and to minister the Word of God. They delivered and helped set up a Message Hub Print Station provided by Bible Believers and they also provided technical assistance in converting Myanmar translations for upload to the Message Hub.

While in Myanmar, Brother Price and Brother Schuler also had the opportunity to minister in youth meetings sponsored by Brother Muana and his assembly. The Lord has been prospering this work and souls are being brought to the harvest. During and after the April meetings, 10 people were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Many ministers of other Christian denominations have received the Truth of Water Baptism and the Godhead as it was preached to them, and were among those that were baptized.